Sunrise, Sunset
by COOKIECHEESEMAN
Summary: Complete. Ephraim turns her head towards him. "And really, Myrrh, if you think about it, other than that, are we really that much different?" Myrrh is developing feelings for Ephraim... but is it allowed? Meanwhile, Saleh is tasked with breaking the couple apart, but can he go through with it? MyrrhxEphraim romance, with Saleh starring as well. Not angst.
1. Rescue

Sunrise, Sunset

Chapter 1: Rescue

Myrrh sprints across the field, as she tries to outrun the group of soldiers chasing her. But they've already taken away her dragonstone, and so she doesn't have the power to run any faster, and they're starting to catch up to her.

"No, get away! Please!"

One of the soldiers laughs. "Heh heh, you're too valuable to lose! Once Grado has a real dragon at their disposal, we shall be unstoppable!"

As she continues to run, a ranger jumps out of nowhere and blocks her path. He lifts her onto his horse and brings her to the captain of the pursuing soldiers.

"Help me! Anybody! Please help me!"

"Save it! No one can hear you here! We're the only ones around!" The captain begins to tie her up. "Now hold still. We have to prepare you for delivery to Grado!"

Not having any strength left in her, she has no choice but to submit.

* * *

><p>After Myrrh is gagged and tied to a tree, an old man teleports in out of nowhere. He has sinister eyes and an almost in-human appearance. The captain smiles, and he begins to converse with him.<p>

"Shall we ready her for transport? We've already sent the messenger off with the dragonstone. Now, all we have to do is bring this lovely prize to Grado."

"Ah, excellent... he will be pleased. Get ready to move out. I need to get some things done... be sure to leave quickly." He shifts his head. "I sense someone approaching."

The old man teleports away, leaving the soldiers bewildered, but after a minute, they begin preparations to leave.

Suddenly, three men jump out of a nearby bush, thrusting their lances at anyone nearby. Within a couple of minutes, all of the soldiers are dead, except for the captain, who is lying on the ground severely wounded. The leader of the men steps closer to him.

"What are you doing here? Why did you send men to ambush us? And why is this girl tied up?" He pushes the lance to the captain's throat. "Answer me, if you value your life!"

He merely laughs. "It doesn't matter. Nothing you do can change fate! Grado will rule! Bwa ha ha... ARG!"

The lance wielder stabs the captain, and he dies on the spot. He then instructs his other men to search the camp for any remaining soldiers as he unties Myrrh from the tree.

Finally safe, she begins to cry, and gives him a big hug.

"Oh, thank you so much! Sniff... I don't know what would have happened to me if they took me away..."

"Don't worry, they're all gone now," he reassures her, rubbing her back slightly as he speaks. "What did those men want to do with you?"

"It's... a long story. Can I tell you a little bit later?"

"Of course you can. Do you need to be taken back home?" He looks around. "I don't know if you should go back by yourself..."

"Oh no," she says, worry returning to her face. "I live very far away from here... once again, it's a long story..."

"No no, that's fine; take as long as you need. I won't leave you here alone."

Just then, he thinks of an idea. "You look pretty worn out. Do you want me to carry you for a while?" he says, smiling.

"N-no, that's fine," she stammers. "I'll be okay..."

"It won't be any trouble at all." He looks at her with worry. "Are you sure you're okay?"

She thinks for a moment. "Well... maybe just for a little bit."

He lifts her up into his arms and she wraps hers around his neck and shoulders. "Thank you very much, um..."

"Ephraim."

"Ephraim... thank you. My name's Myrrh."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you Myrrh! I hope we can get well acquainted with each other."

"I hope so too..." She stifles a yawn.

Ephraim laughs. "You can go to sleep if you want, Myrrh."

"No no, I really... shouldn't..." All of today's events have been too much for her, and within an instant, despite her best efforts, she falls asleep in Ephraim's arms.

He smiles to himself as he carries her through the forest.

* * *

><p>Ephraim finally finds his two companions, Kyle and Forde, sitting by a fire roasting some meat for dinner before sunset. Still holding Myrrh, he sits down on a log across from Kyle and quietly asks for some. Kyle hands him a stick with some meat on it, and Ephraim begins to hold it over the fire.<p>

"Who's this young lady?" Kyle whispers.

"Her name's Myrrh. She was taken captive by the Grado soldiers for some reason."

Forde snickers. "She's looking pretty comfortable there, wouldn't you say Kyle?"

Kyle just rolls his eyes. "She's a young girl. She's probably only 13; seriously Forde, what goes on in that twisted mind of yours?"

"Hey! You said it, not me!" Forde suddenly looks to his left with intense interest. "Oh look, trees!"

As Forde continues staring at the trees for no real reason, Myrrh begins to wake up, rubbing her eyes. When she looks around and notices she's still on Ephraim's lap, she blushes.

"O-oh, I'm sorry Ephraim. I... didn't think I would sleep that long."

He laughs. "That's fine, Myrrh. I don't mind."

Forde, still staring at the trees, suddenly begins to giggle uncontrollably, and everybody looks over in his direction. After a good minute, he stops laughing. Kyle gives him an evil glare, and then breaks the silence. "Um, okay. Ahem, my name's Kyle, and... this is Forde."

"Ah, yes! I'm Forde! Just... ignore the little laughing fit I just had. I was thinking of something I said earlier today."

"...All right then. My name's Myrrh. It's nice to meet you." She smiles. "Are you Ephraim's soldiers?"

* * *

><p>"So you're really a dragon, huh? Part of the Manakete tribe?"<p>

Ephraim looks with interest at Myrrh's wings, as she spreads them out for him to see. They are standing outside of the Frelian Castle, waiting to be let in to see the king with the rest of the group, who are waiting closer to the entrance.

"Yes, but I can't actually transform into a dragon without my dragonstone, which those Grado soldiers stole." She sighs and quickly closes her wings. "I guess these wings look a bit out of place on me when I'm in human form... that's why I had them hidden. I was afraid people would judge me..."

Ephraim laughs. "You don't need to hide them Myrrh. Actually, they look kind of cute on you." This causes Myrrh to blush and to open her wings again, and Ephraim decides to change the subject. "Well, since you can't defend yourself, I'll make sure that you stay safe. Stay close to me, okay?"

"Thank you, Ephraim. So you don't mind if I stay with you guys?"

"Not at all. In fact, you can help me when I tell my story in the castle, okay?"

"I'll... try. I'm very shy."

He holds out his hand. "Don't worry, it will be fine." She willingly takes his hand and smiles.

"Thank you... Ephraim."

* * *

><p><span>Author's Notes<span>

Hey, this is important to the story; when Myrrh hides her wings, that means having them completely out of sight... somehow. I don't know if they morph into her body or what, but they're not there anymore; this is _generally_ true in Myrrh's in-game portrait. When Myrrh is rescued by Ephraim, her wings are hidden; that's why no one was aware she was a dragon until Myrrh showed Ephraim her wings. When she closes her wings, that means they are just folded up, not hidden.

If you know me at all, I think you already know where this is going. But if it's not evident, this is going to be a romance fic about Myrrh and Ephraim, and it will be five chapters long. Fics involving Myrrh in general are basically non-existent on this site, and a good chunk of them are depressing, or at least to me. And again, if you know me at all, I think you already know what I have to say about stuff like that. I won't repeat it here, though. I quote it enough on my profile. :p

I hope you guys enjoy this submission! Feedback is always appreciated! I like hearing what you guys have to say!


	2. Scenery

Chapter 2: Scenery

Ephraim and Myrrh, along with their companions, are now on a ship to Grado. But right now, it's just the two of them on the deck.

"I've... never seen the ocean before." Her inquisitive eyes scan the horizon. "It's... a lot to take in."

Ephraim laughs. "It is, isn't it? The truth is, I've never been on the ocean either."

She turns to face him. "Really? But you look like you've been at sea many times before!" She starts looking a little woozy, and she folds up her wings. "Ooh... I don't feel so good..."

"I have to keep strong and confident in front of everybody... are you starting to get seasick?" He starts rubbing her back.

Her wings start to open up again. "T-thanks, I guess I am."

"I'm curious Myrrh; why do your wings do that?" he asks, as he still rubs her back. "Why do they open and close almost unconsciously sometimes?"

She thinks for a moment. "Well... my father said I seem to fold up my wings when I feeling sad, nervous, or sick. But if I'm feeling happy, or if I'm feeling... comfortable with someone, they seem to unfold themselves again."

He smiles at her. "Is that why they closed up when you thought they looked out of place on you?" She nods lightly. "Like I said Myrrh, you don't need to hide them. They're part of who you are. You should be proud of them." She blushes, and her wings open up even more, causing Ephraim to laugh.

"Well, Ephraim... I've never thought of it that way before. Thank you..."

Suddenly, out of nowhere, it starts to get dark, and fog surrounds the outside of the ship. After the fog completely cuts off the outside world, an old man with sinister eyes and an almost inhuman appearance teleports onto the ship.

"Ha ha ha! You're just trying to delay the inevitable aren't you?"

"Ephraim! This was the man I was telling you about!" Myrrh exclaims, hiding behind Ephraim. He confronts the intruder.

"Who are you?"

The old man merely laughs. "I am simply the messenger; the instigator, if you will, of what is to come." He raises an eyebrow when he notices Myrrh hiding behind Ephraim. "Wait a minute; you're the dragon girl that was supposed to be taken to Grado. I guess those useless soldiers couldn't get the job done. I'll have to do it myself."

He starts walking towards them and casting a light magic spell, when Ephraim pulls out his lance out of nowhere and holds it up to the man's throat.

"Get away from her. NOW!" He yells, the anger evident in his voice.

The man grunts. "You're not going to make this easy, are you? A lesser man would have backed down." He stops his advance and cancels the spell. "Fair enough. Don't worry; I'll get her soon enough. Heh heh heh!"

Laughing, he teleports away, and then some incomprehensible shouting is heard in the distance.

* * *

><p>With the mysterious man gone, Ephraim bends down so that he's eye level with Myrrh. She starts to tear up a little bit.<p>

"Myrrh... are you okay? That man was trying to capture you again!"

"Y-yeah, I'm okay," she says, hugging him. "Thanks again for protecting me."

"I said I'd protect you, and protect you I shall." He smiles. "I still have to get you home!"

She starts to look around her with worry in her eyes. "What do you think this... fog is all about?"

As if to answer her question, the boat rocks, and in a minute, ominous shadows start to loom close to the boat.

"Myrrh, go to the brig. Call everyone up here, and tell them to retrieve their weapons. You stay in there until the trouble has past." She just stands there in fear. "Quickly, Myrrh! There's not much time."

She nods, and runs inside the ship to get the other soldiers.

* * *

><p>The next morning, after the intruders are cleared out from last night, it's just Myrrh and Ephraim on the deck again; him on the left and her on the right, and as they lean on the edge of the ship, they're admiring the beauty of the horizon. The sun is just rising, and the water and sky are a brilliant orange.<p>

"It's... it's beautiful. I've never seen such an amazing sight before," she says, her crimson eyes beaming through the light. "I've lived in Darkling Woods my whole life, and so I never got to see the beauty of the world around me..."

"You know, it's not too often that I take the time to see the sights." He smiles at her. "But when you're around, I feel like I should take a better look; to appreciate what I have been missing."

She blushes, and they continue to stare out at the ocean.

* * *

><p>Forde now enters the deck, carrying some painting supplies with him.<p>

"Hmm... this sunrise would be quite the painting, that's for sure." He turns his head, and then he notices Myrrh and Ephraim watching the waves dance along the ocean during the sunrise; apparently, they don't know that Forde is on the deck, because they would have acknowledged his presence.

Forde smiles to himself. "Oh yes, a great painting... although, they won't be sitting like that forever..."

He instead pulls out his sketch book and begins to draw.

* * *

><p>As they continue to watch the peaceful scene before them, Myrrh sees a big splash of water in the distance.<p>

"Ephraim, what's that?" she asks, as she instinctively grabs his hand with hers and then points with the other. "It was quite large."

Ephraim notices Myrrh grab his hand, and he interlocks his fingers with hers. "That's a whale. It's a very large sea creature. It's not too often that they show themselves, especially during this time of year. Perhaps we'll see more in a minute."

They search the ocean before them to see if they can spot any more of the majestic creatures.

She doesn't let go of his hand.

* * *

><p>Forde is frantically scribbling the scene before him, and then he notices Myrrh grab Ephraim's hand and keep it there. The already huge smile on Forde's face grows even bigger.<p>

"Hee hee, Ephraim's going to kill me for doing this, but I can't resist! I think she's got a little crush on him!"

* * *

><p>"Ephraim... thanks for watching this with me."<p>

"You're welcome, Myrrh." He smiles at her. "Like I said before, it's not too often I take the time to watch the scenery, and besides, we got interrupted in our conversation yesterday, so I figured I should make it up to you."

He suddenly feels some heat radiating from Myrrh. "Hey Myrrh, you're starting to feel a little warm... are you feeling alright?" Myrrh looks down and sees that she's still holding his hand, and she lets go of him very quickly, her face blushing profusely. "O-oh, yes, I'm fine," she says, trying to hide the blush.

"Ha ha, okay then!" he replies, and he looks behind him. He notices Forde scribbling something, and his art supplies are behind him. Ephraim does a double take, and instead of seeing Forde and his stuff, he sees a slight puff of smoke where Forde and his stuff _used_ to be. Ephraim scratches his head in confusion.

* * *

><p><span>Author's Notes<span>

Ah, shipping on a ship... although, if you don't know what the fandom term "shipping" means, that lame pun would make no sense at all.

Rubbing the back of the captain in Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow seemed to be an effective cure for seasickness. It should work in Fire Emblem as well. Video game logic works everywhere. :p

While I couldn't see Ephraim acting like this in general, I can definitely see him acting this way for Eirika or Myrrh initially, or another of his possible love interests if they got to their A support.


	3. Feelings

Author's Notes

Sorry about the very late update, but let's just say... that I've hit my first wall as a writer. No, not writer's block, an actual wall. It's involved much confusion, annoyance, and editing... not so much in this chapter, but in the next couple, lots. In fact, I have to add a new chapter to hopefully get things back on track, putting the total to six.

I said some things I probably shouldn't have to a particular person in my last PM to them, and well... if that person is still actually following this, I'm sorry. Some of that was a bit uncalled for.

Everything's fine now, unless something comes up again in the future, but I don't think it will. Unless I'm sadly mistaken.

Whatever, enough about me. No one cares about that. :p Let's keep going!

* * *

><p>Chapter 3: Feelings<p>

A door flies open, and Princess L'Arachel and her trusty retainer Dozla enter onto the deck; they met with Ephraim and company during the ambush on the ship yesterday.

"Ah, Dozla! What a beautiful morning! I say, it's almost as if the gods themselves have blessed us for our course by giving us this sight to behold!"

Dozla laughs. "Why yes, princess! It's quite obvious if you do say so yourself! And the sun shines off your radiant beauty like it's jealous of you!"

"Perfect alliteration, Dozla! I couldn't have said it any better myself!" She notices Ephraim and Myrrh on the deck. "Sorry to interrupt, but Sir Ephraim, doesn't this sun just _perfect_ my already extraordinary appearance?"

"Uh, sure..." Ephraim rolls his eyes without her noticing. "Anyway, can I speak to you for a second? We need to discuss what we're going to do once we reach the dock."

"Why, certainly!" The two of them walk to the other side of the deck where they begin to discuss tactical strategy. Dozla walks up to Myrrh.

"Hello lassie! How are you? You seem to be in better spirits than yesterday!" He laughs quite loudly. "Of course, yesterday we were being attacked by 'hordes of darkness', as the princess would say..."

"I am doing... very well, Dozla. I've been watching the sunrise with Ephraim." She smiles. "It was... very enjoyable."

"Ah! I've seen many sunrises in my day!" he says, while he laughs (again) and sits down on a barrel. "Why, years and years ago..."

As Dozla tells Myrrh his story, she listens attentively, but near the end of it, she glances to her right, and she notices that Ephraim and L'Arachel aren't talking about strategy anymore; in fact, they seem to be joking about something. And they're standing quite close to each other.

As Myrrh watches the scene unfold before her, she closes her wings completely, and a strange feeling starts developing in her chest. She holds her hand to her heart.

Meanwhile, Dozla doesn't even notice that Myrrh isn't listening to him anymore.

"...and that's why I always think about eating whenever the sun rises in the morning! Gwa ha ha!" As he continues to laugh, he notices Myrrh looking at Ephraim and L'Arachel, and it seems that her normally large, curious eyes now look concerned. Dozla edges closer to her.

"Why, what's the matter lassie? Something seems to be troubling you." He points to his face. "Would you like to tug on my beard? It would always make the princess and Rennac feel better if they were sad! Especially Rennac!"

She giggles a little bit, but then she gets depressed again. "No Dozla, thank you. It's just that... when I see Ephraim speak so... freely with L'Arachel, I'm feeling strange... here." She points to her heart and sighs. "I don't know what it is..."

Dozla just laughs. "Ah, it is simple, lassie! You are starting to fall in love, aren't you?" Her eyes widen. "It is obvious! Why else would you feel such aches in your heart? Such jealousy?"

"Love... jealousy?"

"Why yes!" He wraps his arm around her shoulder. "I would know!"

She thinks for a moment. "If it really is love... then it... it is not meant to be..."

Dozla looks at her strangely. "Not meant to be? Why not?"

She closes her eyes and sighs. "Because... we are different. It's not... allowed..."

"Not allowed?" Dozla asks, flabbergasted. "Love can overcome anything! Even silly rules and traditions. I have seen it with my very eyes!" He sits up very dramatically. "I have traveled to many lands on Magvel before I became the princess' vassal. I've sailed the seas, and I've even visited another continent. I've seen love at its strongest! And I know strength! Gwa ha ha!"

Myrrh looks at him in awe. "R-really? You have?"

"Yes I have!" He picks Myrrh up and places her on his lap. "If you want to, I can tell you some stories from my travels. For some reason, one story in particular is crossing my mind right now... about a girl named Ninian. Would you like to hear it sometime?"

Myrrh begins to smile again. "Yes, I would." She gives Dozla a hug. "Thank you for cheering me up."

"Ha ha! It's what I do! Now, who gave you the idea that you aren't allowed to love the princess?"

"Wait, what?"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, on the other side of the continent, anyone who wasn't travelling to Grado with Ephraim; namely his sister Eirika, some other members of the army, and some new allies, such as Prince Innes of Frelia and the proficient sage Saleh, have just arrived at Caer Pelyn. Eirika, Saleh, and Innes are speaking to the elder of the village, and the conversation is nearing a close...<p>

"...there was dark energy to the south, and the Great Dragon went with Saleh to investigate, but they got separated. No one knows where the Great Dragon is anymore."

Eirika widens her eyes in surprise. "The south? Myrrh said there was some dark energy there... could that be her?"

"WHAT? You know where the Great Dragon is?"

"Yes, she's going to Grado with my brother and his army."

Worry begins to crawl onto the elder's face."She's _with_ your brother?"

"Um, yes, she is," she says, confused, but then she lightens up considerably. "When I saw them at Frelia, she stayed really close to his side. I think she feels safe around him! And Ephraim really cares for her as well."

Before the elder can respond, a messenger runs in and requests that Eirika and Innes come outside immediately for an important message. They thank the elder and exit the room, leaving only the elder and Saleh.

"Saleh... did you hear that? It seems like the Great Dragon is getting... quite close to this brother of hers..."

Saleh shakes his head and begins pacing. "Eirika told me about her brother, Ephraim. He can be a kind-hearted man, or at least to those close to him. Perhaps..."

She cuts him off. "It is not allowed. She is not human. It is not allowed."

"Not allowed?" Saleh stops pacing, and he looks at the elder with doubt. "I'm not sure about that... there are many stories in other lands about dragons and humans falling in love with each other... I am unaware of the issue you speak about. Nothing about it is mentioned in the legends."

"Exactly! It is not there! Which means it is not meant to be! Hybrid children... If all of the other dragons in other lands are doing the same thing, the entire dragon clan could be completely wiped out!" she exclaims, pointing at Saleh. "Plus, how could we let a creature as sinful and imperfect as a human _tarnish_ a being as perfect as the Great Dragon?"

"I... guess I see the issue," he replies, although he's not thoroughly convinced. However, since he's talking to the elder of the tribe who also happens to his grandmother... "When I find her, I will talk to her..."

"Thank you. I do not mean to be harsh, but I am doing this for the good of the Great Dragon."

* * *

><p>"Would you like to try to ride on a horse, Myrrh?"<p>

"I don't know. Whose horse is this?"

Ephraim laughs. "I borrowed Forde's. He said I could use him while he sleeps."

The army is situated near Grado Castle. In about an hour, they plan to charge the castle, and Ephraim's ordered that everyone is to rest before they go inside. Ephraim and Myrrh are in a clearing near the castle, and he hopes that he can cheer her up after the events of the last few days, including just a couple of hours ago when they were forced to kill the Grado general, Selena.

"It's really fun, Myrrh. I'll even ride with you." He gets on top of the horse and stretches his hand towards her. "If you get scared, you can just fly away anyway."

Myrrh laughs as she grabs his hand and he helps her up. "I suppose that's true, isn't it?" She sits behind him.

"Okay Myrrh, I'm going to need you to grab my waist. It might get a bit bumpy."

Myrrh grabs his waist. "Should we really be... sitting this close to each other? You are the prince of Renais..."

"I don't see a problem with it." He looks at her, and from the looks of his face, it seems like he hasn't the slightest idea as to why it would be an issue. "You might hurt yourself, and that wouldn't be good, would it?"

"O-okay then." She holds him tight, and Ephraim signals the horse to begin riding into the distance.

* * *

><p><span>Author's Notes<span>

Given the fact that the elder of Caer Pelyn is barely shown at all in-game, (and not at all in Ephraim's path) I don't think she seems off in this scene, based on the few facts known about her. She can get very passionate in-game about a couple of things (such as not calling Myrrh one of the Manakete) even though she's over 100 years old. Plus, she would seem like someone with possibly old-fashioned views, considering her age.

I made Dozla interpret love the way he did on purpose. He's a simple man, and so the way he describes love and how he probably views it is based on the some of the simpler qualities of love, such as the fact that unselfish love has enormous power. The Bible says "love never fails." As well, Dozla's past is barely touched upon, so he could have easily travelled in the days of his youth. The nod to FE7 is there for obvious reasons. :)

Please don't complain about "impossible" timeline integration if it exists; this is fan fiction, after all. :p


	4. Affection

Chapter 4: Affection

It's been two days since the capture of Grado Castle, but already the group is on the move to Jehanna. The remaining remnants of the Grado army are assaulting Jehanna Hall, and Eirika, Prince Innes, and Saleh are trapped there, trying to hold on until reinforcements arrive, so Ephraim and company move as fast as they can to their destination.

However, the desert terrain is much harsher than the majority are used to, and so it's slow going. In fact, they are forced to stop in an abandoned village to rest for the day; the chances of heat stroke and dehydration are alarmingly high, and so the army plans to move during the night, when it is much cooler.

This would normally influence people to take their rest during the day, so that they can be fully energized at nightfall. Not everyone is asleep, however; Kyle and Ephraim are having a discussion while a few others mill about the village.

"Prince... I feel that we must speak of something. You are too reckless. I am worried about your safety." Ephraim just gives him a cold stare as Kyle continues speaking. "We can't have you dying in battle... without the future king, what's the point of fighting?"

Ephraim just shakes his head. "Kyle, I don't pick fights I can't win. That's my motto. Besides, I have to keep the command in check."

Kyle starts to slowly pace back and forth. "I still don't believe you should be so involved. What are the soldiers for? To protect you! The future of the country!"

After a couple more minutes of discussion, Ephraim notices Myrrh walking around behind Kyle, holding a lilac flower. His face softens as he waves to her, and then he smiles when she waves back. Kyle raises an eyebrow at the gesture, and Ephraim's face returns to normal.

"Oh yes, Kyle. Fine, I'll be a bit less reckless in battle; maybe I'll even hang back a bit. But I don't have the time to talk about this in length right now. We can discuss this later." Ephraim starts to walk past Kyle, but he places a hand on Ephraim's shoulder, stopping him. Sighing, Ephraim returns to his previous spot.

"Yes?"

"I think you're just trying to dodge the subject. I don't believe you're going to do anything different next time we're in battle. And what could you possibly have to do right now other than sleep?"

"...You know me too well, Kyle." Ephraim laughs, and Kyle's face forms a rare smile. "I just don't agree. What good is accomplished if the army wastes their energy protecting me instead of themselves? Please, we're all tired here. Let's not discuss this at length right now."

"Fair enough. So... who were you waving to just a second ago?" he asks, pointing behind him.

"Oh, that was Myrrh. She was walking around behind you, and so I waved." He thinks for a moment. "I wonder where she went..."

"You definitely have a soft spot for her."

Ephraim smiles. "She's like a little sister to me."

Kyle has a look of disbelief on his face. "Really? That's how you view her?"

Ephraim sighs and shakes his head.

"Actually... I'm not so sure anymore. She reminds me of my sister, but at the same time... well, I don't know. Perhaps she just brings out a different side of me."

Kyle smiles once more. "It will make sense later on. Come on, let's get some rest now. We have a long way to travel tonight... We have to make it to Jehanna as soon as possible."

"To save Eirika and the others..."

Kyle begins to walk away, but Ephraim stops him. "Wait, Kyle! What about you? I want to know how you're doing."

"But Prince! If your mental health isn't kept in check by sleeping, we'll be doomed in battle! I don't think we have the time to..."

Ephraim rubs his forehead in frustration.

* * *

><p>The group trudges along through the night. Even though almost everyone was able to sleep during the day, the terrain makes it difficult to move with any sort of speed, and the irregular sleeping patterns of the past few days are hard on everybody.<p>

Ephraim lazily looks over at Myrrh, who's walking beside him, and she gives him a sleepy smile.

"Hello Myrrh... how are you doing?"

"I am fine, but I've just been thinking... about the war." She stifles a yawn. "There's just been so much injustice, and the darkness... it moves north. I... worry."

Ephraim nods sleepily. "Yes, I worry too. There are so many things that are confusing me..."

His response is interrupted by Myrrh yawning. He stops and watches as she halts her revenant-like stagger to rub her eyes. After a couple of seconds, she yawns again, and stands in place with her eyes closed.

Concerned, Ephraim waves his hand over her face to see if he can elicit a response. Failing to awaken her, he picks her up and begins to walk while carrying her. She is warm, and the light scent of flowers emanates off her.

She begins to stir, and she becomes aware of Ephraim's presence. "What... what happened?"

"You fell asleep!" he says, smiling. "Did you not sleep well because of worrying?"

She nods lightly. "Actually, I've been sleeping badly... ever since I left Darkling Woods. Usually, my father... will sit beside me and wait for me to sleep... but he's not here, and so I have no one to do that for me..." She yawns once again. "I guess I'm just a bit insecure..."

Ephraim raises his eyebrow slightly. "That's not good, Myrrh. If I hadn't been watching when you stopped walking, we might have kept going for a while before we noticed your disappearance." He begins to frown. "And I can't watch you all the time. We are on a constant march, and it would not be ideal for anybody."

"Oh, okay then..." she replies, her eyes drooping and her wings closing in response. She decides to change the subject. "Wait, why are you back here in the first place? Aren't you usually... up front taking charge?"

Ephraim chuckles. "Well, Kyle really wants me to hang back from the action. He believes that since I'm the future of Renais, I can't afford to die, and so I should let all of the soldiers do the fighting. But I plan to change that, believe me."

Myrrh gives him a sleepy smile. "Oh yes... you do like being up front with everybody, that's true."

"Besides, I wanted to keep you company." Myrrh smiles again, and her wings open up. "But seriously Myrrh, you need to sleep. I'll take you to the supply wagon and you can rest in there, how's that?"

"Thank you, Ephraim." Myrrh peacefully closes her eyes and leans her head on Ephraim's shoulder as he starts walking a little faster to catch up to the supply convoy. He asks the rider to stop for a second, and Ephraim goes inside, still holding Myrrh. He places her on the ground...

...and she frowns.

After Ephraim lays her on the ground, he suddenly feels a bit chilled, and so he grabs an extra blanket to warm himself, but seeing that it's the last one, he puts it back and exits the wagon, telling the wagon rider to start moving.

Myrrh fitfully begins trying to fall back asleep.

* * *

><p>Ephraim slowly walks beside the supply wagon. Forde, who's near the back of the mass of moving bodies, slowly trots on his horse over to Ephraim.<p>

"What were you doing just now?" he asks, grinning. "I saw you go into the supply wagon."

"Oh, I was taking Myrrh there so that she could get some sleep. She hasn't been sleeping well." A look of annoyance creeps onto Ephraim's face. "Hey... why aren't you up front with Kyle and the other knights? You're supposed to be protecting me, apparently."

Forde laughs, and he begins to grin again. "Well, there's not much going on right now, so it's safe to be elsewhere. So... Myrrh, huh? She likes to be at your side, doesn't she?"

Ephraim raises an eyebrow in response. "Forde, what are you getting at? I have the feeling that this isn't just an innocent question to satisfy your curiosity."

"Now now, no need to be so defensive!" Forde says, backing away in feigned fear. "I'm just saying that she always seems to be near you. Is that a problem?"

"No, of course not. I guess she just sees me as a big brother of sorts." He averts his eyes somewhat. "I think so, anyway."

Forde suddenly becomes very serious in his demeanour. "You think so? Why don't you ask her, and see what she says?" He immediately starts smiling again. "I think the answer may surprise you."

Forde trots away on his horse back to the front lines, and while he quietly snickers, he shouts back to Ephraim...

"You _can_ be quite oblivious sometimes."

* * *

><p>Ephraim starts thinking about what Forde said to him.<p>

_Why don't you ask her, and see what she says?_

He can't shake Forde's words out of his head. Is he right in some way? It's obvious to him that Myrrh shows affection for him... but is it for a bigger reason?

_I think the answer may surprise you._

* * *

><p><span>Author's Notes<span>

This chapter did not exist until about a week ago. Originally, I only planned to have five chapters, but ever since stuff happened, I've had to considerably rethink this submission. And thus, this chapter was born. As well, my remaining chapters needed to be fixed.

I never intended to have Kyle come back either, but hey, he's a good guy. He also seemed like the right person to converse with Ephraim at this point in time.

Realism is obviously something that has been somewhat lacking in this story, especially in the first two chapters. And well... it is impossible to make this submission completely realistic. Heh heh, in reality, this story is completely implausible. I'm going to have to drop a bombshell eventually. :/


	5. Different

Author's Notes

Just a short thought... "bombshell" is not the right word to use, as said in the previous chapter. I thought it meant something else. So... no bombshell dropping today.

We now return to our original programming.

* * *

><p>Chapter 5: Different<p>

Eirika, Innes, and Saleh are trying their best to defend themselves at Jehanna, but it seems they are fighting a losing battle. The enemy is beginning to close in on them, and it is unlikely they can hold on much longer.

"So... I guess this is where we die. I'm so sorry, everyone..."

Saleh places a hand on Eirika's shoulder. "It's not your fault, Eirika..."

Innes suddenly starts staring at something. He squints his eyes to get a better look.

"We're not done yet... there's a large group of people coming this way! I think it's your brother!"

Eirika and Saleh look as well, and they see a group of soldiers making their way towards Jehanna. And at the forefront is none other than Ephraim, riding a horse, with Myrrh holding on to him from behind.

After a couple of minutes, Ephraim's group settles at the bottom of the hill where Eirika and her companions are fighting. Ephraim gets off his horse, and helps Myrrh off as well. She smiles as he lifts her onto the ground.

Saleh notices.

* * *

><p>It has been about three days since the two groups have reunited, and one day since reclaiming Renais Castle. They are now on their way to Rausten, and the camp is already set up. At this point, it's night-time, and the only people still sitting by the main campfire are Myrrh and Saleh. They haven't had any time to talk since reuniting, and so they are sharing some of their stories of the last few months apart.<p>

"...and since then, I've been travelling with Ephraim and his group." She smiles, and her wings open up slightly. "He is a kind man, Saleh... and... it's nice of him to take an interest in my well-being." She gives Saleh a serious look. "You do not think I am being foolish, do you?"

Saleh hesitates. He has not been looking forward to this conversation, especially after he observes Ephraim and Myrrh's behaviour. Myrrh's definitely never been this happy before, or at least when she's with Ephraim. And Ephraim... well, it's obvious to Saleh that Ephraim cares for her, and he sees her as more than a friend.

But his grandmother is counting on him. He has to make sure this relationship can no longer progress... for the apparent good of the Manakete.

"Saleh?"

"I'm... sorry. I was just thinking." He takes a deep breath. "Great Dragon... this can't continue. You and him... you're one of the Manakete. He's a human. It is not... allowed."

She doesn't respond.

"...you are starting to fall in love with him, aren't you?"

They are both silent for a minute, before Myrrh finally speaks up.

"...we are human, and we are demon. We are both, and so we are neither..." Her father spoke these words, or at least something similar, to her a long time ago. "My father devotes his life to protecting humans, and he interacts with them from time to time. However, we are not meant to get... close... with them..."

Myrrh closes her eyes, bows her head towards the ground, and folds up her wings completely. "But after all the time I've spent with these people, through all the happy and sad times, with people like Ephraim, Dozla, and even Forde... the question I keep asking myself, when I'm alone, is... does what he said really matter?"

Saleh is feeling horrible listening to this. He's supposed to be her escort and protector... but he cannot protect her from the power of emotions, no matter if they're evil or benign. Still, he has to continue.

"Apparently... it does."

He doesn't tell her how it is not him who feels this way, but another: the elder of Caer Pelyn, and from the sounds of it, the original Great Dragon.

"Great Dragon... I'm sorry. I did not wish to speak to you about this..."

"N-no, it's okay, Saleh." She looks up at him, and hugs him. "I know you wouldn't be telling me this if you weren't looking out for my well-being."

Saleh refuses to meet her gaze, knowing full well that he is not looking out for her well-being in the slightest. But he can't say this, no matter how guilty he feels.

"Perhaps, Saleh... it was not worth it to come here in the first place... I should go back to Darkling Woods, and live by myself forever... because I can't belong... with them."

Saleh doesn't say anything; how can he respond to that?

Myrrh breaks the silence. "Saleh, I... I wish to be alone right now... and I will be gone by morning. I will probably never see you again... but thank you for all you've done for me." She closes her eyes again and sighs. "You've been a good escort... and a great friend. Please try to understand."

His eyes widen. "But, Lady Myrrh..." She just shakes her head, and so Saleh walks away silently.

* * *

><p>Walking back to his tent, Saleh wages war in his head; a battle between what his brain says is correct, and what his heart believes is right. Should he really be interfering with something like this? Is this really the best decision? Shouldn't Myrrh's feelings be taken into consideration?<p>

As he thinks, he nearly trips over a red book left on the ground. He picks it up, and starts flipping through it. It looks like a sketchbook of some sort, and not wanting to think about his conversation with Myrrh, decides to calm his mind by examining the creations within.

...until he finds a sketch of Ephraim and Myrrh leaning on the deck of a ship, in front of a glorious sunrise, with Myrrh holding Ephraim's hand.

Saleh recalls that when Myrrh told him of this occasion, her eyes were truly sparkling as she was speaking, and her wings were completely open and carefree. She says it was one of the happiest moments of her life.

He cannot recall any other time when he has seen her this way.

And at this point, now... now is when Saleh knows the answer to his dilemma. He swore to Myrrh that he will always do what is best for her. He has to do whatever it takes to make sure that she is happy.

And if falling in love with Ephraim makes her happy, then Saleh knows he has to prevent Myrrh from making the biggest mistake of her life by leaving him forever.

* * *

><p>"'I think the answer may surprise you'. That's exactly what Forde said. I've been thinking about this for a while now, and I haven't said anything to Myrrh about it."<p>

Ephraim and Eirika are sitting around a smaller campfire a short ways from camp, conversing with each other. Right now, he's telling her about his conversation with Forde not too long ago.

"Eirika, what do you think? What do you think I should do?"

Eirika smiles. "Well, you two do seem close. And she always has a smile on her face when you're around." She thinks for a moment. "And I may be imagining things... but sometimes, when you're with another woman, she just closes her eyes and holds her hand to her chest..."

Their conversation is interrupted by a rustling in the bushes, and then Saleh emerges from the forest.

"Saleh, it is good to see you," Eirika says, smiling. "What brings you here?"

"Oh... did anybody drop this book?" He holds the small red book up for the two of them to see. "I found it over by my tent."

"...I do believe that is mine."

Forde appears out of nowhere from the bushes, and walks up to Saleh. "I've been looking everywhere for this! You didn't look through it, did you?"

"Oh... I'm sorry, but I did." Forde groans, and then Saleh gets an idea. "And by the way... I found this very interesting sketch of Ephraim and..."

"Oh look, trees!"

Saleh glances behind him, and Forde calmly grabs the book from Saleh's hands. He sits down on a log, and Ephraim eyes him suspiciously.

"Why were you so intent on making sure Saleh didn't finish that sentence?"

"Uh, n-no reason," he stutters. Eirika rolls her eyes and looks back at Saleh. "Saleh... you seem troubled. Is anything the matter?"

Saleh now remembers why he came in the first place. "Yes... Ephraim. You need to talk to Myrrh. Before... she..."

"Before she what, Saleh?"

"Before she leaves... and never comes back. Please Ephraim, you're the only one who can prevent her from leaving."

Ephraim's eyes widen. "But Saleh... why? Why does she want to leave?" Saleh gives him a grave look in response.

"It... it involves you."

Ephraim just stares.

"Now, Ephraim!"

Surprised by the seriousness in Saleh's tone, Ephraim quickly gets up and runs to look for Myrrh, and unbeknownst to him, Forde follows. Saleh sits beside Eirika and puts his hands over his face, and then she puts her arm around his shoulder.

"Saleh... what's the matter?"

Saleh doesn't move. "I... I'm a horrible person, Eirika."

"No you're not, Saleh." She inches closer to him. "Whatever happened with Myrrh back there... you can tell me. I won't judge you."

Saleh removes his hands from his face and looks at Eirika; guilt is written all over his solemn eyes. "I don't want to... burden you..."

"It is not a burden! You've helped so much ever since we met; from saving us from monster attacks, to just being there to listen when I needed someone to talk to."

She hugs him endearingly. "The least I can do for you is to help you when you need it."

Saleh just sits there, taking in what she is saying to him. Finally, he just sighs and takes a deep breath.

"Okay, Eirika... I will tell you."

* * *

><p>Ephraim searches for Myrrh and finds her at the main campfire, poking the fire with a stick. As he draws near, she looks at him, and gives a quick smile to acknowledge his presence, but then her saddened face returns, and she starts staring at the fire.<p>

Her wings are completely hidden away, and a closer inspection of her face shows that her eyes are redder than usual...

"Myrrh... Saleh told me to come find you." He sits down beside her. "He said you might be leaving... and I want to know why you suddenly feel this way."

She solemnly looks up at him. "It's just... there's someone I really care about here in the army, but... we cannot be together."

Ephraim remembers the guilt on Saleh's face. "Why can't you and this person be together?"

"It is not... allowed." She pauses for a moment. "I... am one of the Manakete. He's a human. We are too... different."

Ephraim raises an eyebrow questioningly. "Too different?"

"My father told me... that the humans and Manakete are not meant to co-exist with each other... he said that we are both human and monster, or demon, and since we are both creatures, technically, we are neither of them. We are outcasts... and so we must live our lives... alone."

"But Myrrh..." Ephraim replies, "why are you thinking of this now? After all the time you've spent with everybody?"

"With the help of some of the people in this army, I've started asking myself if what my father said really matters. And I almost convinced myself that... it didn't. I could be with whoever I wanted, without consequence." She sighs, and leans into Ephraim's arm. "But just a while ago, Saleh kindly reminded me... that it does matter; that I shouldn't love this person. It is... unnatural, to have these desires, even if Saleh, or my father, didn't specifically say so themselves."

Ephraim thinks for a moment. "So... it is wrong... because you are different, and that because you are different, it is unnatural."

She nods lightly and pushes her face into Ephraim's shoulder.

Ephraim just sits there and tries to think of a way to respond to what she has just said. Finally, after a couple of minutes, Myrrh lifts her head from his shoulder, and he sees a tear roll down her face.

"I'm sorry... I'm not usually like this. I do not normally... show my emotions. I think the only time you've seen me cry... was whenever that horrible man that tried to capture me was around." She shivers slightly. "He has this... eerie vibe about him. And they were going to take me to Grado..."

"Myrrh... you don't have to explain yourself," Ephraim says, trying to make her feel better. "We are who we are. I'm usually a little more hardened as a person, but sometimes, I feel I should probably be a bit nicer around others, like you or my sister."

Myrrh sniffles slightly, and Ephraim decides that now is the best time to ask her the big question.

"Myrrh... am I the one you're... falling for?" She sits awkwardly for a second, and then hesitantly nods her head.

_So Forde was right._

_How should I be reacting to this?_

Ephraim certainly hasn't been expecting this from Myrrh. It is probably not as deep of affection as she thinks it is, and he doesn't want her feelings to get hurt. And besides, he himself doesn't know exactly what he thinks of her.

Unfortunately for her, it may be better for Myrrh in the long run if the situation gets put to bed right away.

"It's just that... you've been kind to me, even if you're not usually like that as much with the others. And..." She hugs him. "I feel safe... when you're around."

"Myrrh..." She looks up at him endearingly. "I'm flattered... but I'm not sure if this would be a good idea..."

Myrrh then frowns, closes her eyes, and another tear starts to roll down her face. Ephraim continues to speak.

"However, it has nothing to do with what Saleh said, or what you believe..." Surprised, she opens her eyes and keeps her focus on him.

"When I was young, my father told me something. He said that there is only one way to know for sure whether a relationship can exist or not... there's only one thing you can do to find out."

_This is probably so wrong..._

_But I only pick battles that I can win. And it's only to prove a point..._

He holds her face and brings it to his. And then... he kisses her.

Her eyes widen at the gesture. This is a strange and new experience for her, but... she doesn't seem to mind it.

Not at all.

* * *

><p>After their kiss, a bewildered Myrrh looks up at Ephraim, beaming.<p>

"Ephraim, thank you... for everything."

"But Myrrh..."

Closing her eyes, she lies on his side, and lightly holds his arm.

Ephraim looks at Myrrh, and he notices that her wings are fully extended.

* * *

><p>Now it's Ephraim's turn to be confused. What's just transpired between the two of them... it's not what he expected out of the situation.<p>

_When I did that, it was only to prove something to Myrrh... or maybe to myself. It was supposed to feel like kissing your sibling... gross, wrong, and even repulsive..._

_I wasn't supposed to enjoy it._

_I wasn't supposed to want to kiss her again._

He sighs to himself.

_I've lost this battle. I think it's obvious what's happened here..._

_I must be falling for her as well._

* * *

><p>As Ephraim keeps thinking about the events that have just occurred, suddenly, some bushes start rustling, and Ephraim quickly narrows his eyes, grabs his lance, and turns his head around to try and spot the intruder.<p>

But instead, a hand appears beside him and lays down a crumpled note. Before Ephraim can do anything about it, the mystery person crashes away through the bushes, leaving behind a small puff of smoke.

Ephraim ignores the person and opens the note...

"_**Told you. Signed, Forde"**_

* * *

><p><span>Author's Notes<span>

I went through this multiple times to try to keep the personalities as intact as possible (although that's not completely possible, obviously) while still trying to make the point. This chapter used to have a completely different second half that was even less plausible than it is now.

The realism is dripping away once again... and I apologize. My writing inexperience fails me here. :p I'm in too deep to stop it now.

Man, this is a long one. While I could have probably split it somewhere, I felt that the situation would make more sense if I kept it all as one chapter.

I bet I could easily end the entire story here if I really wanted to, but there are still some things to clear up, so... one chapter left people!

...Let's see how it goes.


	6. Anything

Chapter 6: Anything

The next morning, Saleh searches the camp for Myrrh, hoping that she's had a change of heart and decides to stay; he's been thinking about it all night. Thankfully, he finds her within a short period of time, but he decides to wait and watch to see if she still seems upset after yesterday's conversation.

She certainly doesn't seem upset.

In fact, she seems quite content leaning on Ephraim's shoulder as the fire from last night slowly burns out. Sighing in relief, Saleh walks over to Ephraim and joins him by the ever diminishing fire, careful not to wake up Myrrh, who's sleeping at the moment.

"Ephraim... thank you for convincing Myrrh to stay. I do not think that I could live with myself if she chose to leave... and I know that she could not live with herself either."

Ephraim smiles. "You know... I honestly never thought I would find myself in this position when we first met. But, through it all, I think I may kind of understand now... although there is one thing I don't understand." He looks at Saleh. "What gave her the idea about having to live her life as an outcast?"

"Well, I think it has something to do with... possible offspring... and extinction." Saleh replies, recalling (to some extent) the words of his grandmother. "With the exception of Myrrh's father, there are no other Manakete here on Magvel... and there are reports in other continents of... interspecies relationships, and..."

Ephraim widens his eyes, and looks in horror down at Myrrh. "Wait a second here; this is ridiculous. This isn't going to go _that _far, is it? I know that she's falling for me, and I really like her too, but..."

Saleh raises an eyebrow. "So my hunch was right. Ephraim... it may already be past the point of no return. Myrrh would be crushed forever if you left her now, after... wait, what actually happened yesterday?"

Ephraim takes a deep breath, and relays yesterday's events out for Saleh. When he finishes, Saleh merely nods.

"You may want to wait and see what happens... if you wait long enough, perhaps, the answer will become clear."

* * *

><p>The group is now fighting through Darkling Woods. While the majority of the army is fighting monsters, a small portion of the army has just arrived at the Black Temple: Ephraim, Myrrh, Saleh, Innes, and Eirika. At the entrance, there is an old man with sinister eyes and an inhuman appearance blocking the gate.<p>

He laughs at the intruders.

"Ha ha ha! Do you really think that you can stop him? It is too late! He has already begun the preparations!" He laughs to himself again. "And besides, I cannot let you in to disturb him."

Innes snorts with disbelief. "How can you stop us? There's five of us and one of you!"

"You say that now!" the old man shouts, as he narrows his eyes in fury. "But my master has given me a weapon... a powerful weapon... to assist me in destroying you whelps."

He raises his staff and points it at the opposing group.

"MORVA! Attack! Your master commands it!"

Myrrh gasps, and a large, skeletal dragon materializes behind the enigmatic man. The dragon roars so loudly that it causes the Black Temple to shake, and the old man laughs once more.

"The power of thousands of men under me... you don't stand a chance!" He teleports behind the gaping quintuplet and snatches Myrrh, causing her to accidentally drop her dragonstone.

"And... I shall finally take this dragon girl, after you have all been defeated. She shall be useful as a weapon in the future... heh heh heh!" He pockets the dropped dragonstone and begins to chant an Aura spell.

"NO! You'll have to go through me first!"

The man stops his spell, and he starts smiling. "Ah... Ephraim, wasn't it? Yes, he spoke often of you... and besides, you're the one who's been opposing us all this time."

Ephraim raises his lance in anger. "Everyone, take out the dragon! I'll deal with this one." Eirika, Innes, and Saleh rush off to confront the dragon, and Ephraim continues his speech. "You have caused the grief... and deaths... of many innocent people. You threaten to take Myrrh and use her for your own selfish purposes... and for that, you deserve to die."

"It's not _my_ selfish purposes. It's _his_ selfish purposes. I have been merely instructed to do all of these things." He teleports away, and comes back a couple of seconds later with some rope. "Fine. You want her? Winner gets her," he says, as he ties up Myrrh to a tree. When he finishes tying her, he raises his staff and it begins to glow. Ephraim raises his legendary lance, Siegmund, in response.

"All right... we've put up with you long enough. Prepare to die, old man."

"It's Riev to you."

* * *

><p>As Ephraim fights the menacing man, the remaining trio attempt to take down the massive dragon blocking their path. They are each holding their sacred weapons; Eirika with Sieglinde, Innes with Nidhogg, and Saleh with Excalibur, but the dragon is not going down without a fight. Both sides do not have much strength left in them, and at this point, they are evenly matched.<p>

That is, until Eirika gets blasted by the dragon's Wretched Air. Falling to the ground in pain, she lies still, and her eyes close. Saleh watches in horror... and the tome in his hand begins to glow violently.

Narrowing his eyes, Saleh turns to the colossal creature in front of him, and, yelling a war cry, creates an Excalibur spell, and sends it to its intended victim. It then proceeds to rip through the dragon, and the dragon falls down to the ground, dead... again.

Innes, preparing another arrow to shoot, witnesses the defeat of their opponent, and turns to look at Saleh with an almost frustrated look on his face, not even noticing Eirika lying on the ground.

"Saleh... why didn't you do that at the beginning of the fight? We wouldn't be almost dead right now." He then sighs in defeat. "But other than that... I must say I'm impressed."

As Innes examines the dead creature, Saleh runs to Eirika's side. Holding a Recover staff, he heals her, and within a few minutes, she begins to wake up.

"S-Saleh, is that... you?" she asks quietly. Saleh nods. "Yes it is, Eirika... I... I couldn't let you die out here... not in this horrible place."

Eirika smiles weakly. "T-thank you Saleh, but... are you sure it's not for another reason? Some other reason... you wanted me to live?"

* * *

><p>Panting heavily, Ephraim looks at the dying man, Riev, in front of him. He holds his lance to Riev's chest.<p>

"Fool... even... if I have lost... he... will still... rule... ha ha ha..."

Ephraim stabs him, and the remaining life in Riev vanishes. Now that Riev is finally defeated, he looks behind him, and takes note of the dead dragon in the distance.

He takes the dragonstone out of Riev's pocket and runs to Myrrh so he can untie her from the tree. She just stares at the deceased dragon far off, and her wings close completely. Seeing her looking so sullen, Ephraim frowns, and then realization sets in.

"Myrrh... that was your father, wasn't it?"

She doesn't answer.

"Myrrh... don't hide your emotions...please, just let yourself cry." He bends down, and after a couple more minutes of persuasion, she starts to slowly cry into his chest. They sit like this for a few minutes, while Ephraim slowly rubs her back.

"What... what will I do now? Now that he's gone, I-I'll be... alone..."

Ephraim thinks about this statement. For the longest time, he's been thinking about how to proceed in his situation with Myrrh, and about what Saleh's said to him. It's been a difficult decision to make...

But now that this has happened, he knows he can't leave her now.

And he's okay with that.

"Myrrh... you don't have to be alone." She looks up at him questioningly. "Please Myrrh... come live with us... back at Renais Castle. Although, now that I think about it, I'm not sure if Eirika will be staying at the castle anymore."

He points behind him at Eirika, who's sitting in Saleh's lap with her eyes closed, while Saleh sits at attention, scouting for incoming danger. Myrrh chuckles slightly at this, but then she sighs.

"But Ephraim... you're going to be king... and I'm not even...completely..."

"Human?"

She slowly nods. "What about all those things that my father said? And Saleh..."

"Saleh doesn't believe that stuff anymore. And perhaps, neither should you. So, you can turn into a dragon. That's a huge asset; it's shouldn't be something that qualifies you as horribly different from everybody else."

Ephraim turns her head towards him. "And really, Myrrh, if you think about it, other than that, are we really that much different? You have emotions like everyone else. You eat like everyone else. And you have a face like everyone else," he adds, poking her nose.

She thinks for a moment. She's been living in Darkling Words her whole life; all 1200 or so years of it... and yet, these last few months with Ephraim have been the happiest months of her life.

Even though, according to her father, the way of the Manakete is supposed to be of mostly isolation, she now believes otherwise. The two species are supposed to interact with each other, to be in each other's company... and perhaps, for some, it doesn't have to stop there.

She now understands the truthfulness of Dozla's words.

Love can overcome anything.

* * *

><p>EPILOGUE<p>

About a year after the war, Saleh is waiting to speak with his grandmother in Caer Pelyn. He twitches his hands nervously as she slowly enters the room.

"Saleh... my grandson, I have missed you. I was worried about you while you were gone. Are you all right?"

"Yes, grandmother, I am all right." He takes a deep breath. "I came here to... tell you something."

"What is it, Saleh?" Her eyes widen. "Wait, is that a ring on your finger?"

Saleh brings his left hand closer to his grandmother, so she can examine the small ring on his finger. "I... I wanted to tell you... you're now a great-grandmother. My wife, Eirika... she's at the local market with... our son."

"OH! This is wonderful news! I must see him for myself!" She starts to beam at Saleh. "I can't believe I'm a great-grandmother... considering I only have you for a grandson," she jokes, laughing. "You never open up to anybody, and you're always pushing people away..."

"Thank you for the... encouragement." He rubs his forehead slightly. "We will come by later today; we're just trying to find a house so that we can live here... if that's all right with you."

"Why would it not be all right?" Saleh averts his gaze, causing his grandmother to get suspicious. "There's something else you have to tell me, isn't there. I can tell you're nervous."

Saleh sighs. "Yes, grandmother, there is. It's about... Lady Myrrh."

"You have found the Great Dragon? Why did you not say that first? Stop avoiding my eyes!" She quickly grabs his arm. "What is it you need to tell me?"

Saleh is starting to sweat. "Well... I could not go through with it."

"Go through with what?"

Saleh walks over to the window and stares out. "I could not do it... I could not allow myself to forbid Lady Myrrh from loving Ephraim... in fact, I did everything in my power to encourage the relationship... and I'm not ashamed to admit it. They... they have been wed for six months now..."

The elder's eyes widen again in surprise, which then turn into anger. "SALEH! I told you that we could not allow this to happen! Why did you do it?"

"Because if I had gone through with this, there would be no way I could live with myself!" he replies, raising his voice, before he quiets down again. "Now that Morva's gone, Lady Myrrh has nobody. She would be so heartbroken... and I... I promised her I would do anything to make her... happy."

The two of them just stare at each other. Finally, she just smiles.

"Saleh... please forgive me. I... I have been harsh, and it is plain to see that you have the purest of intentions. You did what you believed was best for the Great Dragon, and I'm proud of you."

She starts walking away, but Saleh stops her. "Wait, grandmother! What about Lady Myrrh? And the... tainting you were speaking about... I've heard..."

"Well, it's already too late to do anything about the situation with the Great Dragon... and maybe I was jumping to conclusions. There is technically nothing that forbade the practice... and there must be some reason why it's happening in the first place."

She pauses. "Perhaps we will find out why in the future. Right now, the best thing might just be to wait and see what happens."

* * *

><p>Myrrh stands in front of Renais Castle, watching the luminous sunset before her, and thinking about how much her life has changed in the past year with her new husband, Ephraim. He would normally be out here with her right now, but his kingly duties are keeping him later than usual. It is no matter. There will be more opportunities.<p>

Life has been different in the castle compared to the dank environment of Darkling Woods. It is considerably brighter, much more formal, and perhaps a little less independent, but she doesn't mind. She has many more clothes and other things like that as well, having received many gifts.

But her most treasured and precious gift, from Ephraim himself, comes in the form of a slight bulge in her stomach, slowly forming on her slender frame for about three months now.

She smiles thinking about it, and then wonders what her father would have thought of the situation. Even if he did have his views... she believes that he would have accepted her decision, if he had seen how much... happier she is now.

A messenger interrupts her thoughts, handing her a folded piece of paper and continuing on his way. She examines the paper, and before she unfolds it, she discovers a small note scribbled on the back.

"_**Hey Ephraim, this sketch is for you. Show this to Myrrh later, okay? This is what I was hiding from you all those months ago, heh heh! Signed, Forde"**_

She pockets the note to show to Ephraim later, and then walks back to the castle. Before entering, she looks back at the sun once more, smiles, and enters the castle gate.

THE END

* * *

><p><span>Author's Notes<span>

Riev is such a craphead, isn't he? :D

And the Manakete tribe lives on. I'm not ashamed to admit that I was not the right person to try and tackle this difficult of an idea. It was, however, a very valuable learning experience.

Next time, I should be more careful with the title. Originally, there was more significance to the sunrise and sunset, but it mostly disappeared for the sake of realism (what little of it remains, anyway) and so it just made more sense.

I've been noticing a pattern with my submissions... all of them have some sort of hurt/comfort, all of them have a sub-plot, and all of them ship multiple couples. In this case, Eirika and Saleh in addition to Ephraim and Myrrh. Maybe it's just a coincidence... but probably not. :p

Thanks for continuing to support this guys! I love this story, and I loved writing it too, although I'll have to admit it was a strange, somewhat angering, but very enlightening and enjoyable journey. I think this is going to be my favourite for a long, long time.

Myrrh deserves some love... As of January 6th, 2012, there was a grand total of seven stories starring our adorable dragon girl. (one of them is rated M!) Well, now there's EIGHT! Bwa ha ha! Although this is not rated M. If you really want realism... do not read that one. :p

I'm going to stop with the huge multi-chapters for a while and start writing some one-shots or something for the time being. I really hoped you all enjoyed this!

Signed, COOKIECHEESEMAN


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